


Musings and What-ifs

by 9r7g5h



Category: A Crown of Candy - Fandom, Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Other, mini stories, musings, what-ifs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:06:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9r7g5h/pseuds/9r7g5h
Summary: The musings and what-ifs as we go through ACoC.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Do You Ever Think How She Was Waiting?

**Author's Note:**

> I have a bunch of mini stories that aren't long enough to post by themselves, so just a collection here.

Do you ever think about how Caramelinda was waiting for Lazuli to come home? How she wasn't a warrior, didn't know magic, so the best thing she could do was wait? And maybe she had a hand in planning, in making sure supplies got to where they were needed, in sending reinforcements to help out the allies the Candian kingdom needed to keep alive. But most of her time was waiting. Waiting for her future wife and her future sisters and brother in law to come home.

And one day they do. The door swings open, and she's panting, having run down to greet them, to pull Laz into her arms and press her face against her neck, they're young and in the middle of a war and she doesn't care so much about decorum. She just cares about the fact that the woman she loves is home.

Except she stops. Freezes. Stares at the door with wide eyes that slowly fill with tears, because Laz doesn't walk through the door. She's carried in Amethar's arms, her head resting on his shoulder, both of their clothes stained with her dark blue blood.

She isn't breathing.

And Caramelinda is only allowed a single moment to mourn, a single sobbing scream as she realizes the woman she loves died in this war, and then they have to move on. She'll spend her entire life mourning, but she's not allowed to cry. Not right then, because there's a war going on, and now her brother in law has become her husband, and she's now queen by the end of the war instead of just the duchess. And she's not happy, she never will be, but she has a duty and there are alliances she needs to uphold and if playing wife to the man she once saw as a younger brother will help keep the peace, she'll do it.

And now its 20 years later, she's found peace in ruling the kingdom by herself, since Amethar is useless in that regard, and in her two daughters, who remind her so much of the sisters she lost to that war. And now there's war again. And once again she's focusing on getting people who need it aid, coordinating soldiers and supplies and everything they need.

So, after this invasion is done, do you ever think about what the next morning will look like? Do you think Caramelinda will be in the front hall, helping to tend to the wounded, when Liam returns home, carrying Jet in his arms, their clothes both drenched in her blood, a ghastly recreation of what Caramelinda had to witness all those years ago, her wife and brother in law now replaced by her daughter and cousin?

Do you think, this time, she'll be allowed to cry?


	2. Something to Consider

Also, something to consider - Ruby, at the end of this, is so full of anger and rage that she goes to her father, shaking, unable to hold it all in. So he teaches her that she doesn't have to. She can channel those feelings forward, turn them back against the world instead of inward, and by the end of it she ends up taking levels in barbarian.

Specifically, barbarian of the path of Ancestral Guardians. She doesn't even know that she is at first, she's just a normal barbarian, trying to get a handle on the anger and rage and fear, but then in the middle of a battle she's knocked on her ass, her bow useless at such close quarters, and there's a sword coming right towards her, she's going to see Jet again, she's missed her so much, I'm sorry Mom, Dad, I didn't mean-

The sword stops, close enough to graze her skin, but not enough to break it. Its held in an spectral hand, and smirking down at her? Speaking in a ghostly voice that's just loud enough to be heard, still with all the snark she had in life?

Jet smiles down at her little sister and pushes the sword away, helping her to her feet. Surrounding her are their aunts, more then ready and willing to help out one of the last remaining Rock family members, and between them all, the tide of the battle turns, especially with Jet once again at her back.

And this is something Ruby can do at any time. So, when things calm enough, and she can get her parents together in the same room? She reunites the family. Reunites her father with his lost sisters, her mother with her lost lover, and she with her lost sister, the entire Rocks family in the same room for the very first time.

Its rough, lots of tears and ghostly, semi-corporal hands wiping them away, trying to help bring about the peace that was never given. The sisters scolding and praising Amethar in turn, Laz apologizing for leaving Caramelinda, ghostly kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, Jet apologizing to her parents and the two of them just glad to get to see her again, even if she's way too young and spectral.

Its glorious, in it's own way, to have them all together again.

And after the war, it's a regular occurrence. Caramelinda and Amethar don't wed again - instead, Caramelinda and Laz start up some strange, ghostly courtship, because even in death their love for each other has never wavered, and even though Laz knew that she would most likely die in the war, she chose to be selfish and accept the betrothal to Caramelinda, because she couldn't pass up the chance to love her. Amethar reunites with Catherine Ghee, his first wife, and begins building a life with her, the first woman he loved, having accepted that Caramelinda never loved him, just married him to keep the peace. He's happy she's happy. And whenever his sisters come to visit, he's happy to spend time with them, making up for the years that he lost without them. And Ruby once again gets to see Jet, seeks her council as the years go on and she becomes the queen she didn't want to be, but must for the peace. They support each other again, just like the did for the entirety of Jet's life.

And, even though it takes a while for him to accept, eventually, scruffy old chocolate rabbit, carrying a peppermint pig that's more then happy to jump into Liam's crying arms, accepts Ruby's call, and comes to see the rest of his living family.


	3. Chapter 3

Not to get painful on main up in here, but If Jet had survived to meet up with her parents again, only to die later, you could set the scene to “Stay Alive Reprise” from Hamilton and it would fit perfectly. Especially a dying Jet whispering “I did exactly what you said Pops, I held my head up high” and Amethar’s “I know, I know” as he tries to comfort her, hoping there’s something that can be done to save her still.

Because Jet and Ruby already call him Pops, so it fits perfectly.

And you know for a fact, that he’s told them to do that before. Theyre Rocks, rulers of Candia, so be proud, hold your head up high.

And to bring everyone else in Caramelinda is asking is she breathing, is she dead, *Theo* did you know?! Because he was supposed to put them to bed, not let them sneak out and get killed.

And just everyone begging Jet to stay alive while they try to get to the ship, because there someone is super to have some kind of antidote, Jack is a veteran warrior, he’s always prepared, just please stay alive. And for most of it she does, a mix of people stabilizing her and successful death saving throws but Jet just cant shake that poisoned condition. But its ok, because she’s still alive and they just got on the boat and once theyre sailing they can help her for real, just a few more seconds Jet please

And Emily rolls the 2 nat 1s, and Amethar and Ruby are again the first ones to know. Ruby because she feels the pendant’s warmth and light extinguishe, suddenly leaving her alone for the first time in her life, and Amethar as Jet goes limp in his arms.

And just like the song, when Amethar turns around to show the others, tears slowly spilling down his cheeks, Caramelinda *screams*.


	4. Stay Alive

**Stay alive**

“Where is my daughter?!”

“Amethar, Ive got her.

But she’s lot a lot of blood on the way over.”

“Is she alive?”

“Yes, but you don’t get it!

The knife, entered just above her hip

Another in her arm, direct hits.”

“Give her to me, please.“

“I tried everything I could,

But the knives poisoned her where she stood.”

“Jet!”

“Pops-

I did exactly what you said, Pops,

I held my head up high”

“I know, I know, shhh, I know, I know, you did everything just right.”

“Even before we began-”

“Shhh”

“I was aiming for his eye”

“I know I know, shh”

“I got her out alive”

“I know, save your strength and stay alive”

“Cara-”

“Is she breathing, is she going to survive this?!

Who did this? _Theobold_ , did you know?!”

“Mom, I’m so sorry for getting it this wild”

“My child”

“Can you forgive me?”

“You did nothing wrong.”

“You taught me to be strong”

“You’ve always been so strong”

“I’m sorry for all of the lies”

“Shh, I know, I know,”

“For sneaking out this time”

“I know, I know, I know”

“Stay with me, ‘In sweetness there is strength’“ (”In sweetness there is strength.”)

“Good. Again. “In sweetness there is-” (”In sweetness there…”)

“There is… 

There is…”


End file.
